Hanoi, July 9, 2026 – The Europe Today: Vietnam’s National Assembly (NA) has reaffirmed its support for expanding cooperation between Vietnamese and Russian localities as part of broader efforts to deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
The commitment was expressed by Nguyễn Doãn Anh during a meeting in Hanoi on Wednesday with Kalganov Vyacheslav Gennadievich.
Vice Chairman Nguyễn Doãn Anh welcomed the steady progress in Vietnam-Russia relations in recent years, noting that regular high-level exchanges have strengthened bilateral cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
He said the Vietnamese National Assembly encourages local governments in both countries to broaden cooperation by capitalizing on their respective strengths and complementarities while promoting closer collaboration between Vietnamese ministries, agencies, local authorities, and Saint Petersburg.
Anh emphasized that the legislatures of Vietnam and Russia serve as an important channel for political dialogue, helping translate agreements reached by senior leaders into practical cooperation that benefits the peoples of both countries.
He noted that the Vietnamese National Assembly has maintained close coordination with the Federal Assembly of Russia, as well as with government institutions and local authorities, to effectively implement cooperation agreements covering trade, investment, science and technology, education, culture, and tourism.
Welcoming the growing cooperation between Saint Petersburg and Vietnamese cities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Anh said stronger local-level partnerships would further reinforce the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership while creating new opportunities for collaboration across multiple sectors.
The Vietnamese legislator also expressed appreciation for the longstanding friendship demonstrated by the authorities and people of Saint Petersburg toward Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh through commemorative activities, cultural and educational exchanges, and tourism promotion initiatives, which have strengthened mutual understanding between the two nations.
Anh noted that both sides are actively working toward signing a visa exemption agreement for organized tourist groups, describing the initiative as an important step to facilitate people-to-people exchanges and further enhance bilateral friendship and cooperation.
He commended Kalganov and the leadership of Saint Petersburg for their contributions to advancing Vietnam-Russia relations and expressed hope that they would continue serving as an important bridge for expanding cooperation with relevant Vietnamese institutions.
The Vice Chairman also thanked the authorities of Saint Petersburg for creating favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community living, studying, and working in the city, describing the community as an important link in strengthening bilateral friendship.
Reaffirming that Vietnam-Russia relations have been nurtured over generations, Anh stressed the shared responsibility of both countries to further develop the partnership in a more dynamic, substantive, and effective manner to meet the demands of a new era and deliver greater benefits to their peoples.
For his part, Kalganov congratulated Vietnam on the successful organization of the 14th National Party Congress and the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils for the 2026–2031 term.
He praised Vietnam’s recent socio-economic achievements and expressed particular interest in the Communist Party of Vietnam’s policies on youth development, cultural cooperation, science, technology, and innovation.
Kalganov reaffirmed that Russia, and Saint Petersburg in particular, attaches great importance to strengthening ties with Vietnam and expressed hope for more frequent exchanges between parliamentary delegations and broader cooperation with Vietnamese localities to further deepen the longstanding bilateral relationship.
